Without opening the door or even being at home, you can watch what’s going on at your front step with a Ring Video Doorbell. Video doorbells like Ring’s are one way to defend your stoop if you’re annoyed by porch pirates or pushy salespeople.
We don’t think highly of the doorbell cameras made by Ring. Other models exist with smarter capabilities like package detection, however they have some significant privacy and security problems. However, Ring is a well-known brand, and these cameras are compatible with everything else Ring.
Design
The Ring Video Doorbell keeps the same style as the original, the Video Doorbell 2, and the Video Doorbell 3 Plus with its Satin Nickel and glossy black finishes (it’s also available in Venetian Bronze).
The device’s camera and microphone are located in the black top section, while the doorbell button, which is encircled by an LED ring and flashes blue when pressed, is located in the silver bottom section. A speaker that is utilized for two-way communication and to play the doorbell chime is mounted on the bottom edge.
Features
Under the hood, there is a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio. The non-removable rechargeable battery in this Ring doorbell is rated to last 6 to 12 months between charges, in contrast to other Ring doorbells that employ removable battery packs (depending on usage). You must physically remove the complete item, bring it inside, and use the supplied USB cord to charge it. For continuous charge, you may alternatively hard-wire it to your current doorbell wire. On the back panel, there are two wiring connectors, a Setup button, and a USB charging port.
The doorbell’s camera has a 155-degree field of view, records video in 1080p, and employs infrared LEDs to record nighttime footage in black and white. When the button is touched or when it detects motion, it will start recording video and sending push notifications. You can learn when the doorbell button has been pressed if you have an Amazon Alexa device.
The same mobile app (for iOS and Android) is used by the 2020 Doorbell and all other Ring products.
Installation
The Ring Video Doorbell is really simple to install. If you have never used a Ring device before, you must download the app and register an account. I opened the app, choose Set Up a Device by tapping the three bars in the top left corner.
I chose my home as the installation site by scanning the setup sheet’s barcode with my phone’s camera as directed by the on-screen instructions. After being asked to identify the device and press and release the orange button on the doorbell’s back, the next several displays gave mounting instructions and suggested screws to use. I selected the proceed button as the LED ring started to glow white, and a voice prompt instructed me to connect the doorbell to my home Wi-Fi network. The gadget joined my network in a matter of seconds, was instantly identified by Alexa, and started a firmware update that took around five minutes to finish. After fixing the mounting plate to the siding of my house with the supplied screws, configuring motion settings, and attaching the doorbell to the plate, the installation was complete.
Performance
The doorbell passed the test with flying colors. It never failed to react when the button was hit or when motion was detected, and it always captured video and provided push notifications. It worked well to eliminate motion alerts from moving cards and wind-blown objects when using the People Only mode.
In our daytime tests, the camera produced clear 1080p video with rich colors, and black-and-white nighttime footage had good contrast and sharp picture up to about 20 feet. Contrary to the first model, which occasionally transmitted distorted audio, the second model delivered clear and loud two-way audio broadcasts.
Verdict
Anyone looking for a smart doorbell camera that doesn’t require wiring might consider The Ring Video Doorbell 2020. Simple to set up, it offers clear 1080p video, enables Alexa voice commands, and utilizes IFTTT applets to connect to other smart devices.
